Article: 10 keys to a great night's sleep: sleeping better can increase your physical and mental performance, put you in a better mood, and perhaps even boost your immune system.(SOLUTIONS)

American women don't get enough sleep. That might not surprise you, but what might is just how much sleep deprivation can affect your health and safety.

"People tend to treat it as trivial, but sleep deficit is a serious problem," says Charles Pollak, director of the Center for Sleep Medicine of the New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. "The consequences are sleepiness, impaired performance, accidents, irritability and depression."

In addition, some studies show that a lack of sleep can compromise your immune system, making you more susceptible to colds and viruses. Insufficient sleep also has been associated with weight gain.

A recent poll ...

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